Michigan State Legend Drops Bold Statement on LeBron James

Michigan State legend Draymond Green has delivered a bold claim on Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James while discussing the state of the NBA.

Dec 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (right) handles the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (left) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is one of the smartest players in the NBA. Whenever he steps on the hardwood, his basketball IQ typically trumps everyone else's.

However, there is one player against whom Green meets his match: LeBron James.

Known widely for his otherworldly intelligence on the court, James is a basketball savant, and Green has experienced this countless times in his battles against the Los Angeles Lakers superstar.

The Michigan State legend recently faced James and the Lakers, as Green and the Warriors fell by a score of 120-112.

While speaking to reporters on Saturday, Green called the NBA "boring" except for when he is facing LeBron.

“Every possession is some type of chess move,” Green said. “You don’t get that today in the NBA, often. ... You don’t just get that on a regular basis. It’s just who can run faster, who can hit more 3s, it’s no substance. I think it’s very boring.”

Green went on to highlight Kobe Bryant's comments from years ago, when Bryant said back in 2020 that the NBA had become all "penetrate and pitch." Bryant even called it "accidental basketball."

To be fair, Green's Warriors can be somewhat to blame for the onus placed on perimeter shooting in today's game, as they did alter the NBA landscape during their dynastic run. But to be fair, they weren't all "penetrate and pitch" either.

Clearly, Green loves his matchups with James, which should not come as much of a surprise seeing as how Green's Warriors faced the all-time great in the NBA Finals four years in a row between 2015 and 2018. LeBron was with the Cleveland Cavaliers at that time.

That being said, James is far from the only player in the league with an extraordinary basketball IQ. Surely, Green has faced plenty of other opponents that meet his standards.

But obviously, LeBron is the most notable name of the bunch, and given Green's history with James, him citing the 40-year-old makes sense.

The Warriors recently added Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, so we'll see if Green can make one more championship push in Golden State.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.